THE UPCOMING 2013 VISION NORTH PORT MASQUERADE BALL WILL INCORPORATE A CONQUISTADOR VIVA FLORIDA THEME IN HONOR OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA’S 500 YEAR ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION.

THE ENCHANTING FORMAL EVENT WILL TAKE PLACE AT 6 P.M. ON FEBRUARY 23, 2013 AT THE PLANTATION GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB. TICKETS SALES WILL BEGIN IN MID-NOVEMBER.

IN 2013, THE STATE OF FLORIDA WILL CELEBRATE THE 500TH ANNIVERSARY OF JUAN PONCE DE LEON’S ARRIVAL ON FLORIDA’S EAST COAST. THE LEGACY OF SPANISH FLORIDA STARTED WITH PONCE DE LEON’S DISCOVERY IN 1513 AND BEGAN A NEW ERA IN HUMAN HISTORY THAT SAW MANY NATIONALITIES COME TOGETHER AS THE FOUNDATION THAT EVENTUALLY FORMED THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ACCORDING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE’S VIVA FLORIDA WEBSITE. COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE STATE ARE HOSTING CELEBRATIONS IN HONOR OF THE SIGNIFICANT DISCOVERY.

“WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT BEING PART OF THE STATEWIDE VIVA FLORIDA CELEBRATION. VISION NORTH PORT WAS FOUNDED ON THE BELIEF THAT THROUGH COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIPS, WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. THIS IS JUST ONE MORE COLLABORATION THAT WE ARE PROUD TO BE PART OF, AND BRINGING THE VIVA FLORIDA CELEBRATION TO NORTH PORT – AND THE REST OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA – IS IMPORTANT TO US,” SAID KEN MATURO, VISION NORTH PORT PRESIDENT.

VISION NORTH PORT’S MASQUERADE BALL IS ONE OF THE SIGNATURE FUND-RAISERS FOR THE GRASSROOTS LEADERSHIP ORGANIZATION. FOUNDED IN 2007 BY A HANDFUL OF GRADUATES FROM THE NORTH PORT LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE, VISION NORTH PORT WELCOMES ANYONE WHO HAS AN IDEA TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN NORTH PORT.

SINCE ITS INCEPTION, THE ORGANIZATION SUCCESSFULLY LED THE CREATION OF A CITIZEN MASTER PLAN, OR COMMUNITY VISIONING FOR NORTH PORT, WHICH HAS HELPED SHAPE THE FUTURE OF NORTH PORT. UNDERSTANDING THAT EVENTS CAN LEAD TO FURTHER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (THUS CREATING JOBS, ATTRACTING RESIDENTS, CHURNING THE LOCAL ECONOMY), THE ORGANIZATION HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN THE SUCCESS OF MANY REGIONAL EVENTS HOSTED IN NORTH PORT, INCLUDING A WORLD WELLNESS ECOFEST IN MARCH OF 2011 AND AN INAUGURAL PADDLEPALOOZA IN 2011. THE ORGANIZATION IS CURRENTLY PLANNING A CHOCOLATE FESTIVAL IN EARLY 2012 THAT IS EXPECTED TO BRING HUNDREDS OF VISITORS TO THE AREA.

CURRENTLY, THE ORGANIZATION HAS A VARIETY OF CITIZEN DISCUSSION GROUPS THAT ARE EXPLORING A VARIETY OF TOPICS, INCLUDING A WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE, A RESTAURANT INCUBATOR, A DOWNTOWN ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT, AN EVENT CENTER ATTRACTION, A SOCIAL CLUB FOR SENIORS, AND MORE.

IN SEPTEMBER 2009, VISION NORTH PORT WAS AWARDED THE NORTH PORT AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE NONPROFIT OF THE YEAR AWARD. THE ORGANIZATION HAS MORE THAN 600 PEOPLE WHO SUBSCRIBE TO ITS NEWSLETTER.

IN FEBRUARY 2012, THE FIRST MASQUERADE BALL WAS HOSTED WITH A MARDI GRAS THEME. MORE THAN 120 ATTENDEES ENJOYED DINNER, DANCING, AND FUN. THE CREATION OF THE BALL IS LED BY A FOUNDERS COMMITTEE, WHICH CREATED THE MASQUERADE BALL TO ASSIST WITH FUNDRAISING AND BRINGING AWARENESS TO VISION NORTH PORT. THE THEME OF THE INAUGURAL BALL WAS A FLORIDA MARDI GRAS. THE NORTH PORT ART CENTER AND THE NORTH PORT AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE WERE CRITICAL TO THE SUCCESS OF THE FIRST EVENT.

THIS YEAR, THE EVENT PROMISES TO BE EVEN BETTER. THE FOUNDERS COMMITTEE IS WORKING WITH THE CONQUISTADORS TO TRANSPORT ATTENDEES BACK IN TIME, TO 1513. THE DINNER MENU WILL INCLUDE AN AUTHENTIC FLORIDA CUISINE. THE DINNER MENU WILL INCLUDE AN AUTHENTIC FLORIDA CUISINE AND A DJ WILL PROVIDE MUSIC FOR DANCING.

“ATTENDEES ARE ENCOURAGED TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RESEARCH THE ELEGANT DRESSING GOWNS AND GARMENTS FROM EARLY FLORIDA HISTORY,” SAID EVENT CHAIR DANETTE BARTOLOTTA. “MASKS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REFLECT THE THEME. WE ARE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT MAKING THIS YEAR’S EVENT MEMORABLE.”